Personal Finance

Articles on Money Q&A about personal finances and how it affects and interacts with your money and finances every day.

6 Financial Considerations to Make Right After Getting Married

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Just Married? You Need to Have a Budget!

In an ideal world, we would all be on the same page as our life partner when it comes to money management practices and even just basic openness and honesty about finances. However, the reality is that people rarely dedicate enough time to discussing the financial side of being in a committed relationship until after they get married. Whether you know very little about your fiancé’s finances or you’re both completely open with each other about your individual and shared financial situations, here are 6 considerations to your married finances that you should make while engaged or immediately after you get married. Who’s the Money Manager? How will you manage money when you begin your new life together? If you’ve … Read more

The Pros and Cons of Alternative Financial Services

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How Long To Keep Financial Records

A recent study found that 42% of Millennials have used alternative financial services and 39% of the general population has used these services, which include payday loans, pawnshops, rent-to-own programs, and car title loans. Short-term loans are often risky for borrowers, but there could be some advantages to taking out this type of loan if you’re in a pinch. Pros and Cons of Alternative Financial Services To help you decide whether alternative financial services might suit your financial situation, here are some considerations to make beforehand. Pro: More Accessible If you have a bad credit score, then securing loans or credit cards without a co-signer might be difficult or even impossible. Alternative financial services may be your only option if you’re struggling … Read more

Ask Trim Review – Save Money with Trim Automated Finance Personal Assistant

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If you find yourself struggling to save money or find other areas of your budget to cut back on, then you’re not alone. Millions of Americans want to save more money, but it’s easier said than done in many cases. After all, it doesn’t just come down to an individual’s financial discipline. For instance, consumer cable bills have risen 40% between 2012 and 2018, which isn’t something you can easily control for, thanks to the relative monopoly status that cable companies have in their markets. Fortunately, free personal finance apps like Trim have been developed specifically for the purpose of saving you money with as little effort as possible. Even if you think you’ve done everything in your power to … Read more

The Effects of Stress on Your Finances

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Make Retirement Less Stressful

Are you currently or have you ever worried about the state of your financial situation? Whether you’re struggling to pay off debts, living paycheck to paycheck, living with minimal savings, or falling behind on retirement contributions, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced anxiety about your finances at some point in your life. After all, a January 2020 CreditWise survey by Capital One found 73% of Americans rank finances as their #1 cause of stress, significantly more than the rates of stress caused by politics, work, and family. Notably, the survey also found that more than 80% of Millennials and Gen Zers are reportedly stressed out by their personal finances. Still, financial stress isn’t exclusively a younger generation problem, of course. … Read more

6 Things You Should Know About Social Security Survivor Benefits

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How To Get Off The Sidelines And Start Investing Again

Nobody wants to think about dying, but unfortunately, it’s such a big component of financial planning that you can’t afford to ignore the prospects of dying earlier than expected. In addition to planning for the future with life insurance options, you should also be aware of Social Security survivor benefits. Social Security Survivor Benefits When You Report a Death In most cases, funeral homes are responsible for reporting deaths to the Social Security Administration (though you need to give their Social Security number beforehand). If you want or need to report the death yourself, you can call 1-800-772-1213 (Mon-Fri, 7am to 7pm) or visit a local Social Security office to file the report. It’s important not to cash any checks … Read more

How to Make Your Home a Strong Investment

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Buying a home is so much more than buying a place to live. When you purchase a home, you have the opportunity to not only get your money back if and when you choose to resell, but you also stand to make a sizable profit. This is why real estate is such a popular investment. The value of your home will (more than likely) go up over time, especially if you’re willing to make improvements. However, not every home is a good investment. It takes a lot of research and hard work to ensure that you get the best ROI from your home. So, let’s look at a few of the best ways to make your home a strong investment … Read more